Small-scale outdoor moving lights?

[Simon Waldman]

A query came up today where somebody was looking for a small-scale
moving head with a useful IP rating, and I realised that I can't think
of any. I thought I'd tap the resources of these newsgroups.

Can anybody think of a small moving light (moving head was the original
query, but mirrors or periscopes would probably be fine) that is
designed for use outdoors? I'm aware of the likes of City Colors, Space
Canons, and large xenon searchlights; I'm looking for something more in
the region of 150W or 250W HMI; maybe up to 575W at most. I'm talking
about a proper outdoor fixture, not simply about using inflatable domes.

I don't think that other features such as colour changing are essential.
I don't think it matters whether it uses wash or profile optics.

I suspect the reason that these are hard to come by is simply the
difficulty of sealing the moving parts... another approach that occured
to me is having a fixed something aimed at a moving mirror, something
like the VL-M... does anybody know of an IP-rated mirror system?

Thanks
-Simon.

 

[Duncanwood]

A query came up today where somebody was looking for a small-scale
moving head with a useful IP rating, and I realised that I can't think
of any. I thought I'd tap the resources of these newsgroups.

Can anybody think of a small moving light (moving head was the original
query, but mirrors or periscopes would probably be fine) that is
designed for use outdoors? I'm aware of the likes of City Colors, Space
Canons, and large xenon searchlights; I'm looking for something more in
the region of 150W or 250W HMI; maybe up to 575W at most. I'm talking
about a proper outdoor fixture, not simply about using inflatable domes.

I don't think that other features such as colour changing are essential.
I don't think it matters whether it uses wash or profile optics.

I suspect the reason that these are hard to come by is simply the
difficulty of sealing the moving parts... another approach that occured
to me is having a fixed something aimed at a moving mirror, something
like the VL-M... does anybody know of an IP-rated mirror system?

Thanks
-Simon.

You can get rigid coffins for moving mirror lights, all the exterior
moving heads I've done have lived in domes, it's difficult to see any way
you could waterproof a fixture for anything close to the price of a dome,
even things lige MAC600 exteriors are sodding pricy.

 

[Simon Waldman]

You can get rigid coffins for moving mirror lights,

Any idea where?

all the exterior
moving heads I've done have lived in domes, it's difficult to see any
way you could waterproof a fixture for anything close to the price of a
dome,

Agreed - I assumed that this was the reason I couldn't find any.

even things lige MAC600 exteriors are sodding pricy.

....and don't actually move

The answer may be to use domes, but intuitively they seem like a
solution for temporary stuff to me - not something to install. Maybe
this perception is wrong...

 

[Duncanwood]

Any idea where?


Agreed - I assumed that this was the reason I couldn't find any.


...and don't actually move

The answer may be to use domes, but intuitively they seem like a
solution for temporary stuff to me - not something to install. Maybe
this perception is wrong...

I've actually done a couple of permanent jobs with the inflatable domes,
where they're well protected from wind. Roboscans in Coffins can survive
on a seafront.

 

[Simon Waldman]

Simon

Surely if you are talking moving heads on a permanent exterior install
you get someone to design a housing of some sort to match the style of
the building and a builder to build it from bricks and mortar?

Well, yes, if necessary. Perhaps. I don't actually know the full details
of this project, I was just asked to see if I could find any fixtures.

glass before any wag makes the obvious response to that) - You would
want to protect the install as far as possible from vandals and theft
and any moveable container would be wide open.

In some situations, yes. Less so on teh roof of a building.

In case anybody is reading this for their own reference, the only thing
I have found is some heavy duty permenant enclosures (acrylic rather
than inflatable flexible stuff) from http://www.tempestlighting.com.

They look very capable, but ain't cheap... it seems that it's entirely
possible here to pay more for the dome than the luminaire...

 

[Duncanwood]

Well, yes, if necessary. Perhaps. I don't actually know the full details
of this project, I was just asked to see if I could find any fixtures.


In some situations, yes. Less so on teh roof of a building.

In case anybody is reading this for their own reference, the only thing
I have found is some heavy duty permenant enclosures (acrylic rather
than inflatable flexible stuff) from http://www.tempestlighting.com.

They look very capable, but ain't cheap... it seems that it's entirely
possible here to pay more for the dome than the luminaire...

Yep, & the install costs are normally close to that as well.

 

[Duncanwood]

Selecon did some special housings for their (fixed) Pacifics on the
National Museum of Australia (NMA or En-em-a as I like to think of it).
They accomodated the adjustment of tilt, and sat on circular columns.
The same approach could accomodate a mover with pan carrying the body
of the housing, and tilt being internal. The shoulders of the
projector could carry the weight of the housing?

Thomas.

THe drive belts would probably get upset, pan drive's a fairly common
failure on moving head lamps.

 

[Clive Mitchell]

They look very capable, but ain't cheap... it seems that it's entirely
possible here to pay more for the dome than the luminaire...

Have you considered putting a MOJO 1 scanner inside an inverted aquarium
tank sat across a couple of bits of wood for airflow?